In a sharp warning over a disturbing trend, the Eastern Region’s Director of Education, Ivy Asantewa Owusu, has issued a stark warning on what she describes as a disturbing trend of skin bleaching among students in second-cycle institutions. Speaking at the 25th-anniversary celebration of Pentecost Senior High School in Koforidua, Ms Owusu revealed that nearly 30% of students in some schools in the region are engaging in skin-lightening practices.
“Now we have the challenge of students bleaching in schools,” Ms. Owusu stated. “You can go to some institutions and see not less than 30% of students bleaching, both boys and girls. It’s disheartening; you look at their palms, their hands—it speaks volumes.” She questioned what self-image this practice cultivates in young students, suggesting that the trend reflects a deeper issue of self-identity and values.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has formally prohibited skin bleaching among students across all secondary institutions, placing this ban within the new Code of Conduct adopted for pre-tertiary education this year. Under the “Improper Dressing” section, the policy explicitly states, “Bleaching of the skin by a student shall not be allowed.” Yet despite this directive, enforcement remains limited, with no disciplinary actions reported against students flouting the rule.
This trend is not just a cosmetic issue. Dermatologists warn that skin bleaching carries severe health risks, ranging from skin cancer to kidney and liver damage. Bleaching products often contain hydroquinone, a chemical that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) of Ghana has banned due to its dangerous effects on health. Yet a thriving black market continues to supply these harmful products, undermining the FDA’s directive.
In response to the crisis, the FDA has announced intensified efforts to implement the ban on bleaching products. Acting Chief Executive Mimi Darko recently informed a parliamentary committee that her agency has begun market surveillance and sensitization campaigns. As part of the crackdown, the FDA has stopped registering products containing hydroquinone and is working directly with vendors to eliminate these products from the shelves.
Ms. Owusu’s statements bring to light an urgent issue impacting youth health and self-perception, pushing for a collective effort to curb this harmful trend and educate students on both the physical and social implications of skin bleaching.
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